A NATIONWIDE strike called by the organised labour unions begins today, Monday, June 3, after negotiations between federal government representatives, National Assembly leaders, and officials from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) ended in a deadlock.
The meeting, held behind closed doors at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, started at around 5:50 p.m. and concluded at 8:45 p.m., on Sunday, June 2.
Addressing journalists after the session, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the government pleaded with the labour leaders to reconsider their planned strike but they declined.
Akpabio added that should the strike proceed, it would affect the nation’s economy, including essential services such as schools and hospitals.
The strike, which comes as a direct response to unresolved issues surrounding wage increases, economic policies, and electricity tariff hike, was earlier unannounced on Friday, May 31.
The labour leaders stated that they took the decision after their ultimatum for the federal government to finalise all negotiations for a new minimum wage by the end of May expired.
Aviation unions, electricity, bank workers, others join strike
Consequently, the aviation unions in Nigeria have directed their members to withdraw services at all the country’s airports.
The unions include the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the unions after an emergency meeting in Abuja on Sunday.
Also, the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers, Igbokwe Francis, has announced to the union members that they would join the strike, beginning at midnight on Monday, urging management to protect all critical equipment and properties.
The Secretary General of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), AbdulRasaq Saidu had also criticised the government for being unserious with the negotiations.
He further directed ANAP members and all aviation workers to stay away from work by midnight on Sunday, June 2.
The organised labour’s affiliates, including the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, NUBIFIE, and other critical sector unions had also written to their members to ensure total compliance.
Our position – Gov’t
However, the federal government, on June 1, pleaded with the organised labour in Nigeria to reconsider its decision to embark on a nationwide strike, noting that the government had made an offer of N60,000.
“The government is pleading with labour to reconsider its position. The federal government has already made an offer of N60,000, and whatever the government does is in the interest of Nigerians. We won’t like to do something that will throw the country into another problem.
“Even as we do that, we are pleading with labour. They are partners in this project called ‘Nigeria’ and we expect them to join hands with the federal government as it strives to look for solutions that will take Nigeria to the desired prosperity,” Minister of Information and National Orientation Idris Mohammed, said.
The ICIR reports that following the plea by the Information Minister, the meeting, held on Sunday night was convened by the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives to shelve the planned strike action over minimum wage demands.
The decision to proceed with the strike was also confirmed by the TUC President, Festus Osifo, who stated that the strike would commence as planned, pending discussions with their organs.
“The Senate President appealed to us to call off the strike. But we can’t sit here and call off the strike because we have other organs. We will take the appeals to our various organs.
“We don’t have the powers to call off the strike action. For now, the strike action will commence, while we discuss with our organs,” Osifo told newsmen after the meeting.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M